“As for Monastrell, its reputation for much of the 20th century was as a sturdy workhorse… primarily as a blending grape for big, dark, coarse wines. In the last 25 years, though, Monastrell has redefined itself.” In the New York Times, Eric Asimov writes about the dramatic improvement of Monastrell, aka Mourvèdre.

Meanwhile, in the Daily Beast, Eric Asimov tells Sophie Menin “why tasting notes are pointless, how he fell in love with the juice, and his high school beer column.”

WineSpectator.com reports that Helen Keplinger has left Bryant Family Vineyard.

“Humboldt’s 26 wineries draw from vineyards spread out over a huge surface surrounding a central No Man’s Land — a hundred unplanted miles separating the Pinot Noir country of Southern Humboldt from the Bordeaux-like inland warmth of Willow Creek and Orleans in the County’s north east corner.” In Appellation America, Clark Smith writes a fantastic piece on the terroir of Humboldt County.

“Storytelling has its place, but whenever you hear someone talking it up, look for their agenda. Little wineries such as Failla or Saxum have great stories, but journalists didn’t get around to writing about them until they [the wineries] proved themselves by establishing quality. People tend to forget that quality must precede the story.” From Steve Heimoff, a piece on story telling and wine sales.